Ll gleason



UNTTED sTATEs PATENT onirica.

SEWALL GLEASON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MACHINE FOR MAKING HATS OF LEATHER, INDIA-RUBBER, &c.

` Speccaton of Letters Patent No. 3,357, dated November 243, 1843-.

have invented a new and useful Improve-A ment in Making Hats from India-Rubber Cloth, Leather, or other Suitable Materials; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of this specification, in whichy Figure l is an isometrical View; Fig. 2, a vertical section; Fig. 3, elastic metal hoop detached; Fig. 4, apparatus on which the rim is pressed; Fig. 5, elastic metal band.

The nature of my invention consists in an apparatus by which a pieceof leather india rubber cloth or other suitable material is pressed into the form of a hat by one operation.

The machine is of the following construction, viz: an oblong bed piece (a) formed of wood and of a thickness suflicient for the height of the crown of a hat has a circular hole cut through its center of a sufficient size to admit the hat to be made; around the edge of this hole is a metal ring or flanch (b) attached to the upper face of the bed and as wide as the rim of a hat 5 a stout ring of metal (c) sets onto the outer edge of ring (b), and has an ear (0") projecting from each side of it` withholes in them through which steady pins attached to the bedpass this ring (c) is held down by springs (d) which are screwed at one end to the bed and posts and the other rests on the ring. A frame formed of two upright posts andf a cross beam (c) which runs diagonally and horizontally across `the bed over the center of the hole is afiixed to said bed there being a screw (f) turned by a crank above, passing down vertically through the Abeam over the center of the hole for a purpose hereafter described. i

`,ein elastic metallic hoop (g) as broad as the depth, of the hole in the bed piece, is placed within it; the ends of the hoop being unconnected, and lapping over each other; they have blocks (g) attached to them, and a screw (g2) connected with one, takes into a screw in the other, and expands or contracts the hoop as required. Into the hole in the bed, a hat block Zz.) of usual construction fits; this has a flatpiece (z/ attached to it that extends out all around like a anch, wide enough for the rim of the hat, but fitting inside the ring (c) across its top there may be a brace in the center of which there is a cup or bearing of metal for the end of the screw (f) to turn in. The operation of t-he machine so constructed'as follows: apiece of leather or other suitable material out of which the hat is to be made is placed on the lanch (o) and the ring (c) put over it and held firmly down by the springs (a) the block (71,) and cap (z) are then put onto it, over the hole in the bed; the screw (f) is then turned down onto them, and forces them down till the cap (L) meets the fianch (o), and the rim is pressed as hard as required; the screw (g2) is then turned till the elastic hoop (g) embraces the crown as tight as is required; the hat being thus completely formed is taken out and an elastic band, constructed as hereafter described, put onto itand set away to harden or dry. The band shown in Fig. 5 is a narrow strip of sheet metal, the edges of which are turned out; the ends of this stripoverlap and around it a spiral spring is put and kept in place by the anches, formed by the turned edges of the band, this spring draws up the band tightly around the hat, and keeps it in place while drying. For pressing the rim, a table, Fig. 4L, of common construction having a hole through it can be used.

lVhat l claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. The combination of the bed piece (a), andelastic metal hoop (g), constructed and arranged, substantially in the manner, and for the purpose herein described. I also claim in combination with the above the block (7L) cap (z) and screw (f) for pressing the leather into the bed, as herein set forth.

2. I also claim the employment of the metal ring (c) held down by springs (el) in combination with the block for holding the leather to be pressed while the block forces it down, and the elastic hoop g, as herein specified.

3. Lastly I claim the elastic metallic band (Fig. 5,) formed of a metal ring, the ends of which overlap, and which is grooved on the outside in combination with a spiral spring which surrounds `it as before eX- plained.

SEVVALL GLEASON.

Witnesses:

L. CALDWELL, J. J. GREENoUeI-I. 

